Overview of Sleep Apnea Surgery 

There are many surgeries given to people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and one for people with central sleep apnea (CSA).

With OSA, a person stops breathing during sleep because their airway becomes partially or completely blocked. Surgeries for OSA primarily involve reducing physical blockages, for example by removing tissue or adjusting placement of the jaw or tongue. The ideal surgery for a given individual with OSA depends on their anatomy and what is causing the obstruction in the airway. Sometimes weight loss surgeries are also recommended, since OSA and obesity are linked.

With Central sleep apnea, a person stops breathing during sleep due to a problem with signals sent from the brainstem. Because CSA-related lapses in breathing are not caused by physical blockages, surgeries for OSA would not work as a CSA treatment. However, there is one surgical procedure available for people with CSA that involves electrically stimulating a nerve that leads past the lungs to the diaphragm.

Recommendations for surgery will depend on your specific anatomy and the area of obstruction. A comprehensive evaluation will be performed comprised of a head/neck examination, xrays to evaluate your facial skeleton, a sleep endoscopy, and sleep study.